Seward Community Library Association, aka Friends of the Seward Library, are proud to announce that two Seward students have been awarded the Swetmann Educational Scholarship Award, each for $1500.

The recipients are Creeanna Whitcome and Heleanna Backus, both graduating seniors of Seward High School.Creeana Whitcome wrote about how the library fulfilled her early quest for knowledge and Storytime visits inspired her to want to read, read, read. Her grandmother took her and her sister to the library whenever they could find the time and the summer reading program was a time of fun competition with her younger sister.

Heleana Backus, chose to do hands on crafting of ceramic mugs with imprinted quotations from Rockwell Kent’s book, Wilderness. Each ceramic mug, shaped by her own hand, were as unique as Kent’s descriptions of life in the Seward wilderness. The words were imprinted in the clay with dry pasta noodles in the shape of the alphabet. Heleana wrote, “He was a zany individual whose creativity and eccentricity was legendary, but he was also an avid appreciator of silence, solitude, and the unknown.”

The board of directors for SCLA, aka Friends of the Seward Library, want to wish these two outstanding applicants a wonderful start to their ongoing educational goals. The funds awarded will be sent directly to their schools’ finance departments. They are also able to request renewal of these funds, one more time, for the following year of education. Making these scholarships worth $3000 each, if the second year is requested.

Since 1978, the Friends of the Seward Community Library has offered college scholarships toSeward area youth pursuing academic education or vocational training after high school. Thescholarship is named for Viola Swetmann, a founder of the Seward Library.

Seward Community Library Association (SCLA) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that exists to enhance literacy in our community by supporting the Seward Community Library services, programs and resources, preserving SCLA historical resources and providing educational opportunities through scholarships and other programs.